Christmas Cooking

Christmas Biscuits

It is a family joke that I am a staunch traditionalist when it comes to Christmas. Every decoration has to go in the same place, and all the eating options have to be the same. I think I have mellowed a bit now and am starting to build some traditions of my own. However, there are some things that are so good that there is no point in change for changes sake. Homemade mince pies are a must, as they are so much better than shop-bought. We also do a dessert tray, which involves piling a tray with apples, clementines, nuts and an array of chocolates and sweets, both what people have been given and homemade. It makes an impressive set piece, and means there is always an instant pudding.

I put myself in charge of the fudge and truffles this year, and although there were some moments when I regretted it due to timing issues, the results were definitely worth it.

Gluten-free mince pies

200g gluten-free flour (I used Doves)
100g butter
100g lard
4 tbsp cold water

Put the flour and fats in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the water and pulse again until the dough begins to come together. Form into a ball and wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least half an hour.

I found it easiest to roll out half the dough at a time, and then I filled a muffin tin with circles of dough, added a spoonful of mincemeat (Nigella’s cranberry) and then topped them with a star. Baked for 20 minutes at 200C these were light and crunchy. They freeze well too, so you can stock up the freezer.

Vanilla Fudge

900g granulated sugar
300ml water
Large tin condensed milk
50g butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt

Put the sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Add the condensed milk, butter, vanilla and salt and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for about 30 minutes, until it reaches the soft-ball stage (or 116C on a sugar thermometer), stirring regularly and scraping down the sides. Once it has reached this stage turn off the heat. Beat well as it cools, and it should go slightly grainy. Pour into a well greased baking tray and leave until set, then turn out and cut into small squares. Warning – it is very rich! It keeps very well in an airtight container, although I don’t know how long for as it does not last long in our household.

Chocolate truffles

These truffles are a family favourite, but I do recommend making them small as they are quite intense. In the picture below the cocoa covered ones have brandy in them, and the chocolate coated ones have Grand Marnier.

Chocolate Truffles

450g good quality dark chocolate
275ml double cream
1 tbsp brandy (or Grand Marnier, or any other liqueur you fancy)
Cocoa powder

Chop the chocolate into small pieces, or whizz in a food processor, then put in a bowl Heat the cream gently until bubbles start to appear around the edge of the pan, and then pour over the chocolate. The heat of the cream should melt the chocolate. Add the liqueur and stir well to combine. Leave to cool and then refrigerate.

Sift some cocoa powder onto a small plate. Roll the truffles into balls with your hands, and then roll in the cocoa powder while they are still slightly tacky from the heat of your hands. Or you can dip the balls into some melted chocolate and leave to set on greaseproof paper.

Christmas Biscuits

This recipe is based on Nigella's recipe for cut-out butter biscuits. To cut out shapes like the ones above you need a recipe that doesn't spread as it cooks, and this one works perfectly. I added the ground ginger to make them more Christmassy.

175g butter
200g caster sugar
2 large eggs
400g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger

Cream the butter and sugar, and then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one is added. Then switch to a wooden spoon and stir in the dry ingredients. Form into two balls and chill in the fridge for at least half an hour.

Roll out the dough using flour to stop it sticking, and then cut out your shapes. Put on a greased baking tray and then bake for 8-12 minutes, until the edges are golden. The amount of time needed depends on the shapes you have used so keep an eye on them. Put them on a rack to cool.

Now is the time to get creative. I didn't measure the ingredients for the icing, just sieved some icing sugar into a bowl and then added very small quantities of water until it was the consistency I was looking for. If you overdo the water you can add more icing sugar, but you could end up with a lot of icing this way!

I find the easiest way to spread the icing is with the back of a teaspoon. You can make a slightly thicker icing and pipe the edges for neatness, but I didn't have the time or inclination! You need to put your decorations on while the icing is still wet, so that they stick. I bought all of mine from Jane Asher, who have a shop in Chelsea. Then leave out to dry before storing in a tin, or wrapping in cellophane for presents.